Using current events to an organization’s benefit is no secret. What can be confusing, however, it attempting to mine for the next big idea.

In a presentation titled “Bridging the CSR/Cause Divide” at the Cause Marketing Forum’s annual conference in Chicago earlier this year, Jake Kirsch addressed the positive effect of supporting causes relevant to a customer base. Kirsch proposed in his session that:

• Millennials want brands to support their causes;
• One in four Shock Top beers are sold in California, making the drought an issue on everyone’s mind;
• Making the public aware of work already being done behind the scenes to combat the water issue, in combination with championing work for consumers to save water, too;
• Working with a coalition of partners ensured the program had real impact. This was achieved by sharing the limelight with external partners, which helped to build a larger movement; and,
• Integrated involvement with internal corporate social responsibility team added depth, credibility, and safeguards.

By taking advantage of a bad situation affecting a majority of their customer base, Shock Top “shocked the drought” and gained a 100 percent positive or neutral sentiment and more than 137,000 website visits. By being aware of the issues affecting their customers, organizations can use current issues to make an impact and increase their revenue.